1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to LCD (liquid crystal display) caps of air conditioning control panels for vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to an LCD cap of an air conditioning control panel for a vehicle in which a transparent dark-colored finishing plate is provided and a coating cover is coupled to a front surface of the finishing plate by insert injection molding, wherein a display window is formed in a central portion of the coating cover so that a character or numeral of an LCD panel can be displayed to the outside through the display window, and an opaque coating layer is formed on a remaining portion of the coating cover other than the display window. Therefore, when the LCD panel is in operation, a character or numeral can be displayed to the outside through the display window; and when the LCD panel is not in operation, the front surface of the LCD cap can be generally shown in black, whereby the marketability of the product can be enhanced, and the quality of the interior design of the vehicle can be improved.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, air conditioning control panels are provided ahead of front seats of vehicles so that users can control air conditioning installed in the vehicles through simple manipulation.
FIG. 1 is a view showing an air conditioning control panel provided with a conventional LCD cap 100. FIGS. 2A and 2B show the conventional LCD cap 10.
The air conditioning control panel has control buttons for selecting a variety of control modules pertaining to, for example, on/off operation of an air conditioning, an air conditioning position, an air supply direction, interior air circulation, outside air supply, etc. Furthermore, a knob unit for use in controlling the temperature of supply air is rotatably installed on the control panel.
An LCD panel for outputting information about the temperature varying depending on the angle at which the knob unit rotates to the left or the right is installed in the knob unit. An LCD cap is coupled to a front end of the knob unit so that number information output from the LCD panel can be displayed to the outside through the LCD cap.
As shown in FIG. 1, the LCD cap 100 includes a finishing plate 110 made of opaque resin (generally, opaque black-colored resin), and a transparent plate 120 that is made of transparent resin and is formed on a front surface of the finishing plate 110 by double injection molding. A display hole 111 is formed in a central portion of the finishing plate 110 so that number information output from the LCD panel 130 is displayed to the outside through the display hole 111.
A transparent plate 120 made of transparent resin is formed on the front surface of the finishing plate 110. The transparent plate 120 functions to protect the LCD panel 130. Numerals output from the LCD panel 130 are displayed to the outside through the display hole 111 and the transparent plate 120.
As such, the conventional technique is configured such that: the display hole 111 having an approximately rectangular shape is formed in the central portion of the finishing plate 110 made of opaque resin; and the transparent plate 120 made of transparent material is coupled to the front end of the finishing plate 110. However, regardless of whether the air conditioning is in operation, the rectangular display hole 111 is always shown to the outside through the central portion of the LCD cap that is exposed to the outside, and the black perimeter portion formed around the display hole 111 is also always shown to the outside. Therefore, the general appearance of the LCD cap is deteriorated. Particularly, in the daytime, a color difference between the black perimeter portion and the display hole 111 having a brighter color than that of the black perimeter portion is clearly shown. Thereby, the appearance of the product is further deteriorated.